Auxiliary setting mechanism for sawmill-carriages.



' 'PATENTBD. JUNE, 21, 1904.

C. M. SMITH. AUXILIARY SETTING MECHANISM FOR SAWMILL GARRIAGES. APPLICATION ruin!) JAN. 2, 1903.

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K057621953. I PATENTED JUNEZI, 190g, 0. M. SMITH.

AUXILIARY SETTING MECHANISM FOR SAWMILL CARRIAGBS.

-' nruoyrlon FILED JAN. 2, 1903,

am MODEL. a SHEETS-SHEET a.

UNITED STATES Patented June 21, 1904.

PATENT ()EEICE.

CHARLES M. SMITH, OF PORTVILLE, NEIV YORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters, Patent No. 762,953, dated June 21, 1904.

Application filed January 2, 1903. Serial No. 137,484. (No model.)

Mechanism for Sawmill-Carriages, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to set-works for sawmill-carriages, and has in view the provision of a simple and practical form of setting mech:

anism constituting what may be properly termed a friction-set comprising means for effecting an automatic setting of the knees,

thereby saving considerable time and labor usually attendant upon this operation.

With these and many other objects in view, which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated,

and claimed.

The essential feature of the invention involved in the construction of the setting mechanism and its relation to the friction-drive is necessarily susceptible to some modification without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention; but a preferred embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a skeleton outline plan View of a sawmill-carriage equipped with a frictionset or set-works embodying the improvement contemplated by the present invention. Fig. 2 is a detail cross-sectional View showing more plainly the construction of the setting mechanism proper. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the setting mechanism disconnected from the adjacent parts of the carriage with which the same is associated. Fig. 4: is a detail view showing more plainly the trigger device associated with the latch-lever for latching the dog in its inoperative position. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing more plainly the preferred manner of mounting the stop pins or studs for regulating the throw of the lever.

Like referencenumerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In carrying out the invention no special change is required in the essential parts of the sawmill-carriage and its equipment, so for illustrative purposes there is shown in the drawings a simple type of sawmill-carriage indicating an operative position of the setting mechanism with reference to the set-shaft and the friction-drive therefor.

Referring particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the carriage,-supported upon the traveler-wheels 2, riding upon the track-rails 3 and mounted upon the usual transverse wheel-axles t.

The carriage supports thereon in the ordinary way the transversely-arranged headblocks 5, having the usual longitudinal guideways 6 for slidably receiving the base portions of the knees 7, having the customary movement to provide for the offsetting and onsetting actions and to permit of the setting up of the work through the mediu m of the set-works.

The present invention relates particularly to an improvement in auxiliary set-works for adjusting the position of'the knees according to the thickness of the timber to be sawed off and is associated with the set-shaft 8, arranged wheel 11, made fast on the shaft 8 at a suite able point intermediate of the head-blocks and whose teeth cooperate with the catch-dog 12, carried by the swinging regulating-lever 13. The swinging regulating-lever 13 is provided with a main handle-section 14 and av bearing-yoke 15; said bearing-yoke 15 straddling the ratchet clutch-wheel l1 and consisting of the opposite side legs 16, arranged, respectively, at opposite sides of the wheel 11 and provided at their lower ends with the sectional bearing-collars 17, pivotally clamped upon the shaft 8 and having a pivotal or turning movement thereon independent thereof.

The catch-dog 12 is arranged upon one side of the lever 13 and guided through the crown of the yoke 15. It has loosely connected thereto, as at 19, the lower end of the release-rod 20, the upper end of which is pivotally connected, as at 21, to a latch-lever 22, having a cufl member 23, pivotallymounted, as at 24, upon the handle-section 14 of the regulatinglever. The handle portion of the latch-lever 22 has interposed between the same and the adjacent side of the lever-handle 14 an adjusting-spring 24, which serves to normally press the latch-lever 22 in a direction away from the lever-handle 14. A dog-holding spring 25, arranged upon the release-rod 20 or suitably connected therewith, is so disposed as to normally exert its tension in a downward direction to provide for holding the point or points of the dog 12 in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet clutch-wheel 11.

The play of the swinging regulating dogcarrying lever 13 is controlled through the medium of suitably-arranged stops carried by the stationary stop-supports 27, preferably in the form of segment-frames having flanged terminal feet 28 securely bolted to a stationary part of the carriage, said segment-frames, constituting the stationary stop supports, being arranged in parallelism, respectively, at opposite sides of the vertical plane of the wheel 11, the yoked lever 13 having a movement thereover and in unison therewith. The said stop-supports 27 are designed to carry a plurality of transversely-arranged bolts or pins lying in the path of movement of the lever 13, and hence limiting such movement in either direction.

A home-stop 29, conveniently in the form of a single bolt, transversely connects the opposite stationary stop-supports 27 at a suitable point to constitute a fixed home position at which the lever 13 is arrested when thrown forward from the adjustable regulating-stop 30. This regulating-stop 30 may also be conveniently in the form of a bolt connecting the opposite supports 27 and is adjustable to variable positions in any of a series of regulating-holes 31, provided in the stop-supports 27, but preferably is provided for by short pins or studs inserted by hand through the holes in one of the segments 27, so as to project into the path of the lever 13. Usually the series of regulating-holes 31 are filled with the pins or studs which are to constitute the stop 30; but only the one which is to be utilized is pushed through its hole sufficiently far to project into the path of the lever. This is plainly indicated in detail, Fig. 5 of the drawings.

The set-shaft 8 derives its power through the medium of friction-gearing involving a main friction-gear 32, mounted on the shaft 8 and meshing with a friction-pinion 33, mounted on a counter-shaft 34, journaled in suitable bearings carried by the carriage and having a beveled cog-gear connection 35 with one of the axles 4 of the carriage-truck, thus completing the driving or power connections, whereby the motion derived from the movement of the carriage may be utilized to o erate the setting mechanism for automatically setting the knees to cut anydesired width of plank from the log.

The friction-gearing has associated therewith an ordinary type of friction-drive-controlling lever 36, suitably supported, as at 37, and having a suitable adjusting connection 38 with the movable boxing 39 for one end of the counter-shaft 34, whereby upon movement of the lever 36 in one direction the friction-pinion 37 will be held in firm driving contact with the main friction-gear 32. By reason of this arrangement when any pressure is applied to the controlling-lever 36 the friction-pinion 33 will rotate idly, as will be well understood by those familiar with this art.

Cooperating with the latch-lever 22. and hence with the dog 12, controlled thereby, is a tripping spring-latch 40, made fast at one end, as at 41, to one side of the lever 13 and having at its free end a widened engaging or supporting foot 42 adapted to engage beneath the closed end wall of the cuff member 23 of the lever 22 and when the latter is drawn m toward the handle portion 14 of the lever 13. There is also associated with the spring-latch 40 a release-trigger 43, havinga pivotal support, as at 44, on the lever-cuff 23 and provided with a pendent presser-foot 45, cooperating with the free end portion of the spring-latch 40, which spring-latch is in the form of a leaf-spring.

The portion of the trigger extending beyond its pivotal support 44 constitutes a finger-lever for engagement by the finger when it is desired to disengage or trip the latch 40 from its operative relation to the lever 22.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that when the latch-lever 22 is drawn toward the handle portion 14 of the lever 13 the outer closed end of the lever-cuff 23 is raised thereby, permitting the engaging end 42 of the spring-latch 40 to spring out from within the cuff into a position beneath and against the outer closed side of the latter, as plainly indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, thus securely holding the dog 12 in its elevated position, out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 11. While in this position the auxiliary set or setting mechanism constituting the present invention does not interfere in any way with the set-works or setting apparatus already on an ordinary sawmill-carriage. When it is desired to throw the auxiliary set into action, by having the dog 12 engaged with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel the pressure of the linger downward upon the trigger 43 provides for disengaging the end 42 of the spring-latch and moving such end out of the way of the cufi, whereby the latter under the influence of the spring 24 will be moved downward and cooperates with the spring 25 to force the dog into clutching engagement with'the teeth of the ratchet-wheel.

The width of blank to be sawed from the log or timber is determined by the ad justmentstop 30 in the regulating-holes 31. The lever 13 may be pulled down to the proper pin 31 at any time, but preferably when the saw is going through the log for the previous cut, as during this period the setter has the most time. Ordinarily in operation the carriage is gigged back so the end of the log is two or three feet from the saw, and when the carriage starts ahead in a direction toward the saw the setter pulls the friction-drive controlling lever 36,thereby pressing the pinion 33 against the wheel 32, so that motion will be communicated to the set-shaft 8,\vliicl1 turns until the lever 13 strikes the home-stop 29. Then the setter releases the friction-drive and the cutting begins; but even if the setter should fail to release the pinion 33 from the wheel 32 the stop 29 would hold the lever and the friction-engaged members would merely slip without damaging the set-works.

It will be understood that when the regulating-lever 13 is pulled down to a starting position and it is desired for the setting movement to take place it is only necessary for the operator to press upon the-trigger 4:3 to provide for automatically throwing the dog into engagement with the clutch-wheel, as previously explained.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation,and many advantages of the herein-described mechanism will be readily apparent without further description, and it will also be understood that various changes in theform, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In a sawmill set-works, the combination with the carriage, the knees, and a set-shaft having a direct connection with the knees, of a friction-drive including a shaft positively geared to one of the axles, and having a friction-gear connection with the set-shaft, independent controlling means for throwing the friction-drive in and out of action, a ratchetwheel fast on the set-shaft, a stationary stopsupport, a fixed home-stop carried by the support, an adjustable starting-stop also carried by said support, a swinging regulating-lever loosely mounted on the set-shaft, and means for clutching and unclutching the lever respectively to and from the ratchet-wheel, and also for normally holding the ratchet disengaged to permit the lever to freely drop to the starting-point prior to the clutching thereof to the ratchet-wheel and the application of the friction-drive.

2. In a sawmill set-works, the combination with the carriage, the knees, and a set-shaft having a direct connection with the knees, of a friction-drive including the shaft positively geared to one of the axles, and having a friction-gear connection with the set-shaft independent controlling means for throwing said drive in and out of action, a ratchet-wheel fast on the shaft, a stationary stop-support, a fixed home-stop carried by the support, an adjustable starting-stop also carried by the support, and a lever loosely mounted on the set-shaft and carrying a spring-actuated trigger-controlled dog normally restrained from engagement with the ratchet-wheel and adapted to permit the lever to freely drop to the startingpoint prior to the clutching of the lever to the ratchet-wheel and the application of the friction-drive.

3. In a sawmill set-works, the combination with the carriage, the knees and the set-shaft, of a friction-drive for the set-shaft, a controller for said drive, and an auxiliary setting mechanism comprising a ratchet clutch-wheel fast upon said shaft, a swinging regulating-lever having a loose mounting upon the set-shaft, a spring-actuated dog carried by the lever and cooperating with the clutch-wheel, a springadjusted latch-lever also carried by the regulating-lever and connected with the dog, a tripping spring-latch having a'normal tendencyito spring into latching engagement with the said latch-lever, and a pivotally-mounted release-trigger having a member cooperating with the active 'portion of the spring-latch provided for disengaging it from the latchlever and permitting the dog to spring into engagement with the clutch-wheel, and suitably-arranged stops for regulating and limiting the play of the regulating-lever.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHAS. M. SMITH.

VV'tnesses:

JOHN Z. Ln FEvRE, W. S. HUBBARD. 

